Seed of Doubt

Aurora and the other members of the free company stood before the funeral pyre. There were no bodies to burn, but somehow their absence made her feel worse.

Why... Why did they have to die?

Yesterday, Jabez had returned to Felstat with her gurok and the cart it pulled all in one piece. However, he returned alone. He said that after they sustained injuries in the cave sweep a pack of raug caught them off-guard, and while Jabez was able to fight off the beasts and save her gurok from harm, Ronnie and Bobbie weren’t so lucky.

He seemed so despondent... But it makes sense. It probably reminded him of how the riders...

Aurora decided to leave Jabez alone for a while. Even when he showed up to the funeral pyre, all she could do was look his way every now and then. His eyes were so cold, so distant. It was clear that a lot was on his mind, but it didn’t feel right to ask. Not yet, at least. There would be time enough for that later...

After the funeral, Aurora found herself back in the company lodge. In times like this, maintenance and cleaning helped take her mind off things. There was always something to do in the lodge, and while Bowen complained to her about doing the work of servants, she didn’t mind at all. Organizing weapon racks, pulling arrows and bolts off the targets, or simply sharpening and shining her own blade. When she had something to keep her busy, it always made the pain easier.

“There you go again,” said Bowen, leaning on the doorway to the training area. “Nothing gets through that thick skull of yours, does it?”

“No sir,” Aurora smiled. “Not while I got my helmet on.”

Aurora set down all the arrows and crossbow bolts on a table. She then stood at attention for Bowen, to which he gestured for her to relax.

“No, none of that now. Especially not today.”

“Sir,” Aurora nodded, easing her stance.

“Do you have time to talk?”

“Always.”

“Then come into my office.”

Once the two sat down, Bowen secured the door and looked out his window before shutting the curtain. Aurora watched him pace around the room doing so, and even when he was finally in his seat, he seemed restless.

“Sir? What’s the matter?”

“It’s about the funeral. Or rather, it’s about why we had a funeral in the first place. Raug...” Bowen shook his head. “How much do you know about the job those three went on? You lent them your cart and gurok, right?”

“I did. Jabez said he needed it for the cave sweep.”

“Right, the cave sweep... It’s funny, he was the one that came to me for approval of the job. It wasn’t a typical request from the city.”

“Really? So it was something he sought out himself.”

“Exactly.”

“But wait, if it wasn’t requested, then how did they plan on getting paid?”

“Well the way Jabez put it, he believed it was connected to that first cave sweep you took him and the others on. He said that until that was resolved, the problem would keep cropping up. I agreed. After all, if that cave didn’t have any of the stolen food, it makes sense it was being funneled elsewhere. Could have been to other cavemar, or it could have been something bigger. I know cavemar have been recruited by grinmar in the past, and if that was the case, then everyone needed to know.”

“But it wasn’t...”

“No,” Bowen shook his head. “Just more cavemar trying to build up their numbers. It was good that they were dealt with, but at the loss of two of our veteran mercs is too high a price to pay. And to lose them to wild beasts of all things... Even if Ronnie and Bobbie were that injured, they’ve been in tougher spots before.”

Aurora gripped her knees, starting to feel anxious herself. “Sir? You’re not saying...”

Bowen raised a finger to his lips. “I can’t be certain, no. After all, I wasn’t there. I didn’t see the bodies. But... It’s curious, isn’t it?” Bowen leaned forward, looking at Aurora with a steely gaze. “Has Jabez been acting unusual as of late? Is there anything you know at all?”

“Unusual? I mean... He’s always been a bit unusual. He’s not from around here. He sometimes asks me about the city, like where certain shops are or what’s okay and not okay.”

“What’s not okay?”

“Laws, rules, things like that. According to him, he grew up along the border of Norwyn. He’s spent most of his life in the wilderness. Even if it was beside Norwyn’s riders, it makes sense he might not understand city culture that well. You know how I was when I first joined.”

“True, but you didn’t come back telling me veteran mercenaries died to beasts either.”

Aurora wasn’t sure what to say. She would never suspect Jabez of murder, let alone of his fellow mercenaries. It was unthinkable. And yet... She remembered what Ozahl the Wise told her when he first brought Jabez into the lodge.

“Here, keep this safe. Jabez is a troublesome lad. If he ever steps out of line, crush it in your palm. The magic will do the rest.”

She had kept the small blue crystal on her person ever since, but never did she think it was necessary. After all, Jabez was Jabez. He was hardworking, determined, and even compassionate at times. His feelings seemed misdirected, but if a person could pity even slaves, it only told Aurora how big his heart truly was. That’s why she knew he could have never done such a thing.

Even so...

When Aurora finished her talk with Captain Bowen, she decided the best course of action was to reach out to Ozahl the Wise. Since she was a lowly mercenary, she didn’t have the right to step foot in the castle without first being summoned there, but she could at least write a letter and pass it to a guard at the gate.

There, Aurora set down her quill. That should do it.

With her letter penned and sealed, she left the company lodge behind and made her way towards the castle. Along the way, she heard the most curious sound from up above.

Blue birds? How strange. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before. They look... Distressed. Are they looking for something? A missing baby, perhaps?

Aurora put her hand over her chest, focusing her mana up from her heart and into her throat. When the spell was ready, she called out to one of the birds, and it fluttered down, landing on her finger.

“What troubles you, creature?” asked Aurora.

“Seeking, seeking! Seeking the one named Jabez for master!”

“Master? Who is your master?”

“Ozahl, Ozahl! The one you call Ozahl!” the bird chirped.

Ozahl is looking for Jabez? But why...

Aurora let the bird return to its business and continued her march through the city. Normally it would be a breeze cutting through the center and passing by the city fountain, but there were a lot of guards around an alleyway trying to keep a group of citizens at bay.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Aurora asked someone in the crowd.

“Seems someone got attacked in the night,” said the man. “Guards are saying it’s just a mugging gone wrong, but I ain’t so sure...”

“A mugging?” Aurora turned towards the alleyway. She was a bit taller than most of the crowd, so she could see the guards up ahead. The guards kept things out of view, but a moment passed where one had moved his head just enough, and in that moment... She saw blood.

What? No... Not in Felstat...

Aurora took off running towards the castle, her eyes clenched shut. This city was a peaceful place. It had its problems, of course, but she had never seen something so grim within Felstat before.

Not here... Not in my city! What is happening?!

That’s when Aurora slammed into someone.

“Ow! Sorry,” she said, opening her eyes. As Aurora looked up, a tall dark figure loomed over her like a shadow, like a gravestone. But when her eyes adjusted, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, Jabez. Thank goodness.”

“You seem in a hurry,” said Jabez, extending his hand. Aurora took it, standing up with his help.

“Yeah. I was just-” she froze up, realizing what she was about to say.

“Just what?” he asked. “Is something the matter?”

“I was just trying to send a letter to my family before the courier left for the day.”

“Oh, I see. Best of luck with that,” Jabez turned to leave.

“Wait!” Aurora extended her hand. “C-can we talk?”

“Talk? About what?”

Aurora froze up once again, the words stuck in her throat. She didn’t think Jabez was a bad person. He never gave her a reason to doubt him. But... If Bowen was right...

“Bowen and I were just worried about you. He wanted to talk with you back in the lodge.”

Jabez smiled. “That’s very kind of you both, but I’m fine. Really. I do need to talk to Bowen about something though...”

“Oh? What is it?”

“I’m planning to move soon. I miss life out in the country. City life is too... Stuffy for me.”

“O-oh, I see... Wait, are you quitting the Company of the Spade?”

“Not exactly. I heard there were other places that represented the company, so I hoped to keep my job even after I moved.” Jabez glanced at a nearby building. “There are problems all over, after all.”

Aurora breathed a sigh of relief. “I see... So that’s why you’re out and about. Well Bowen is at the lodge right now if you need to talk with him.”

“Thanks, I’ll do that,” Jabez moved past Aurora. She wanted to say more, say that he should be careful, say that he should watch his back, that people were looking for him, that people thought he was a... But she couldn’t. Then, he was gone.

Aurora stood alone in the city street, her gloved hands gripping the letter to Ozahl. Surely he would know what to do. Surely... Surely... Surely...

The girl ran through the city streets, a pained, twisting sensation in her gut. It only took a few days for her life to get flipped on its head. Though she dared not speak the words, in her heart, she couldn’t help but wonder how much worse it was going to get until it got better.